DAY 10

[TOMgirlApparel]

DAY 10: Planning for Pictures OR Pitching Bloggers

If you are not satisfied with your photography, today you will set a day for re-shooting pictures and make a list of everything you’ll need. Are you going to plan a professional shoot? Are you going to take the pictures yourself? Will you need new equipment, light box, camera, etc.? Write everything down and plan to make it happen by your shoot date. If you can swing it, go with a professional shoot! You’d be surprised how much you can accomplish with a couple hundred bucks!

Photography tips: https://blog.etsy.com/en/2011/etsy-success-product-photography-for-beginners/

If you are satisfied with your pictures, today you will submit to three bloggers. Now that you know your target market, determine what blogs they read. For example, I sell to pregnant women, so I Googled “Pregnancy Blog”. The very first one that came up, I submitted to. I first made sure the blog was a good fit for my product. Then I looked at her advertising information for any clues into what they accepted and didn’t. Then I sent an email. A simple and to the point email complimenting her blog and telling her what I sell and why her customers would benefit from it. I offered to send her a sample for review. That’s it! Do that 3 times today. Aim high. Look for blogs with social media followers in 50,000 plus arena. Unique monthly visitors to the blog of 250,000 plus.

Tips for approaching blogs: https://blog.etsy.com/en/2013/top-5-tips-for-getting-press/
(The only tip I don’t follow here is the one that tells you to follow-up with the blogger if you don’t hear back. I don’t agree. I say one email, and that’s it. If they don’t respond, they just are not that into you. Leave them alone, pitch another.)

[Former_Member]

Still working on previous assignment but this is great. Once I catch up I will do.

Thanks

[TooSplendidSupplies]

How can you find out the number of unique visitors to a blog?

[TOMgirlApparel]

Melissa, it is usually in the "About" section, or more likely the "Advertise" section. You may have to request a media kit. If they don't have it available, that is an indicator of low numbers.

[Akamatra]

I used HARO a few days back and got a reply on a feature for back to school theme for my pencil cases that will run on August.

I heard back from the big blog I've send samples for review months ago and she is going to feature my bows (hopefully soon!)

I am searching for a good blog to feature some of my earrings at the moment.

I believe in blogs but I haven't had much success yet

[Former_Member]

Omg
I hate this part
I have tried this before with zero success

Will try today to find blogs but not gonna lie
It may not happen

[Former_Member]

I've been dreading this day. (I'm posting from my other shop today) I am happy with my pictures at inkleing but there is nothing blog worthy about that shop and the niche is ridiculous as in 99% of the people that randomly end up there have no clue what it's even about.

So.

I have lots of work to do on the pictures in this shop Not a Dirty Hippie. I have 4 picture slots to work on so I am planning for that. This shop is so new I wasn't planning on pitching to blogs quite yet and any kind of social media gives me hives.

But.

Strangely enough I was approached by a box subscription blogger that has a small but decent following for the blog, facebook, twitter, pinterest and instagram as well as two other bloggers that do monthly reviews of the box of the month. I should know later today if we have an agreement for an October feature. I have no clue what I'm doing, since I came into the making of this shop backwards. My soap has always been more of a farm stand or herb store thing. I am so much better in person. LOL

[FifteenMagpieLane]

working on photos!! Yay! Now that's something I like to do! I posted before how we are exploring our new camera. Bernadette's has been using it for her new fairies. I think the photos are crisper, but I think she needs to play a little with the lighting. Anyway, I have a full day today, so not much can be done on my end with the shop. I am still tweaking titles and tags, cleaning the workspace and cleaning up the computer.....15 minutes.....15 minutes....that's what I keep telling myself.....I feel like I'm the last gal coming in at the finish line, but that's ok....finish I will.....

[ShoppeDeziLu]

Hope my fellow Americans had a Happy 4th of July weekend! We're back from the lake and a much-needed few days off. I will be catching up to you all (or y'all, as my Texas relatives say!) as soon as I can, but will be working several days behind until then.

My photography needs major help - mostly due to lack of skills on the part of the photographer. And, I only have an iPhone for taking pics right now, but am saving up for a "real"camera. I have the light box. Just need to figure out how to use it - LOL!!!

[thevintagecrafter]

I love the vintage dude and natural stone photos, Desiree, would never have believed these were taken with a phone! My mantra is - white background, crisp white background, white background - for 1st photo, other photos can be staged. You are doing great without a camera :-)

[TomboyPrettyJewelry]

My challenge with photography is getting the background white, while maintaining the color integrity of the jewelry. Thinking capturing the jewelry color as it truly looks is very important. Will continue to experiment with lighting, props and editing.

[KinAndCaboodle]

Amanda, you mention hiring a professional photographer...

Do you have any tips on finding photographers? I find a lot that photograph people, but not not products.

[TOMgirlApparel]

I actually found my photographer on craigslist. He is amazing! And very affordable. Now that we have worked together a few times, he knows what I need and what I like and it's perfect!

Start a search. Look at their examples and go for the ones that have super crisp photos and good lighting. Even if they are wedding photographers, contact them! Most photographers will do a small product job when they have extra time.

Or even make a post on your personal Facebook page asking if anyone does photography. The work speaks for itself, so just look at their portfolio.

[Former_Member]

I decided I will focus on photos not blogs. I have recently got a good macro lens for a serious camera that my husband had. Issue was - i had no idea how to use that as I never did any photography. So I found a professional photographer who gave me private course specifically on jewelry and explained me how to use the camera and photoshop. I made amazing photos. I have not uploaded them yet. I need to make more first.

[MagicMoonPottery]

I've submitted to one blog.

I might get to another tonight, but probably won't contact a 3rd one. I'll add it to tomorrow since it will be a light day.

[ShoppeDeziLu]

Kelli, you just made my day!!! I ran those coaster pics through FotoFuse. I have a really tough time getting a white background. It always has a pink tinge. Can't wait to have a real camera with that "white balance" feature! :D

[AlasseArt]

I haven't submitted to any blogs yet- still searching the web for some appropriate ones.

[Former_Member]

OK - thought about this all day.
I will be skipping today
So far I have gotten better response to and link-thrus from HARO submissions I have done vs. blogs i have been featured on.
There have been articles and a couple giveaways.
It might be that I have not found the right blog yet - but at this time I am just not open to giving away more crap for nothing.

I will be better about doing HARO again (starting tonight). And plan to respond to 5 HARO questions this month.

[TOMgirlApparel]

Dawn, you don't have to send any free stuff, just an email! Plus, if you aim for the right blogs, the cost of some samples will return back to you and be multiplied exponentially!!!

[Former_Member]

The blogs I have done to date have not turned into much.
Research I did today did not turn up sites that I feel would work.
While blogs are something I may consider in future, I do not want to rush in to contacting ones that might not be a good fit.
I've contacted many previously and all were looking for same thing - free stuff and giveaway items. If I'm going to do that, want to spend more than 8 hours researching it.
The success I have had with HARO has been better. I get continuous clicks from a few of those articles.

[Former_Member]

Seconding Amandas last post in this thread.
Even modest blogs can provide a return on investment. One with a decent following (on the lower side of Amanda's numbers, but with a reach into the thousands) was doing a series on babywearing. At first, I turned her down when she approached me - but told her she could try checking in in a few months to see if I had more time and where I was in my own scheduled giveaways. She did. I sent her one of my older styles - still carry it in my shop, but it's not a fast mover. She agreed to review it and also do media shares with it. I can now credit at least 3 solid sales to that blog/feature. It doesn't sound like a lot, but my items sell for $80-120, which adds up quickly, especially as a return on a carrier just sitting on my shelf.

You don't need to aim for the Cosmo/Better HOmes & Gardens / Outdoor Living blog. Don't get intimidated. You're approaching bloggers who are actually looking for things to write about as much as you're looking for a little extra coverage. Be brave and give it a try! It can be some of your best traffic sources around!

[swaddlemesnugly]

Not ready to approach bloggers for this shop yet, in fact I'm falling behind in the cleanse because I'm working 10 hours a day getting my new products photo'd and writing up the listings, I've made big strides the last 2 days, think I'll reopen the shop Friday night. If my titles and tags don't bring my stuff to early pages in searches I'll be wondering why, 'cause I've used every trick and tip and formula that has shown up in team threads in the last 6 months :-)

For the accessories shop, as soon as the dust clears, I'll be looking into spiffing up my knit hat photos and getting ready to approach some bloggers. Meanwhile I'm marking threads, cutting and pasting from them, to prepare me to do that.

[swaddlemesnugly]

Oh, by the way, I suddenly seem to have been placed on an email list for something called heyo - advice about blogging, Facebook, etc., does anyone know about this site?

[Former_Member]

only 3 blogs??

done
done

and

done.

[TOMgirlApparel]

You never know what may come from it!

I did a blog review very early on and it was very small. Wasn't impressed with the traffic from it. I gave her a coupon code to post to her readers. I got 1 or 2 sales from it. Then suddenly about six months ago, I started having people use that coupon code (I forgot it was even active). I had 14 sales use that code. Turns out, that blogger partnered with a big blog and they have all her old posts archived on the big blog.

No idea what heyo is, Kelli.